Moduplay_Playground Planning Guide

© Copyright 2021 Moduplay Group Pty Ltd Image Source- Brisbane City Council (2021) Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre - https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 6 1. Engages the child entirely with nature and natural elements as well as putting the onus back on the child to come up with “ways to play”. 2. Brilliant therapy for children that are normally over-occupied with the “built environment” (isn’t that nearly every child in our western society?). 3. Develops thinking skills, tactile senses, sense of adventure and discovery. Advantages NATURAL PLAY AREAS 1. Physical strength challenges can be limited where there is no way to offer play at significant height. 2. Overhead activities are hard to provide for. 3. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance! A play area that is based entirely around natural elements and gets used often enough to justify its existence usually wears out very quickly. Disadvantages Too often we’ve seen natural play areas, that were beautiful when they were built, quickly reduced to almost a desert scene where plants have been stripped bare, gardens have been worn out by foot traffic and rocks for playing on look like they have been left behind from another project. 4. Most custodians of them don’t understand the very high cost obligations there are in keeping them in good condition. Natural Play Areas are currently enjoying increased interest with some specialist designers promoting them and many people rightly concerned about the lack of interaction children have with nature these days. A truly natural play environment is one where there are no “man-made” play structures or accessories and the act of playing centres entirely around natural elements such as water, digging areas, sand play, gardens (for growing food and general planting), provision for building structures from natural elements (sticks and rocks etc) and other natural play elements. However, our experience continues to show that the most successful Natural Play Areas still contain some core play structures that draw the children to the area and provide a launching or rest point between engaging with the natural elements. KARAWATHA FOREST PARK | KARAWATHA, QLD